Tool-holder for lathes.



l F. D. VAN NORMAN.

TooL HOLDER PORLATHES. APPLICATION FIL-ED JULY 21, 191()` 979,903, Patented Dec.27,'1'910.

` a fon-Z ya? C y YUZ ,Q

FREDERICK D. VAN NORMAN, 0F SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

TOOL-HOLDER FOR L-ATHES.

T o all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK D. VAN NORMAN, a. citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tool-I-Iolders for Lathes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in tool posts or holders for tools to be carried for the performance of their work by the slide rest of a lathe; and the object is to provide a tool holder which is available and efficient to securely hold in presentation to the work in the lathe, tools the shanks of which may be of many different sizes or proportions cross sectionally, with, nevertheless, the capability of having the cutting end of the tool, irrespective of the size of the shank, always held in adjustment at the proper, and generally the same height relatively to the longitudinal line of the lathe coincident with the centers thereof.

The invention is described in conjunction with the' accompanying drawings and is setforth in the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of an engine lathe in which the location on the slide rest thereof of the present tool holder is indicated. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the tool holder. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the tool holder on line 3 3, Fig. 2. Figs. el and 5 are sectional views as seen in the same direction as Fig. 3, but taken on the planes indicated by the lines 4 4 and 5 5, Fig. 2, and showing tools of different kinds and sizes held therein. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 6 6,

Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the upper and lower clamp blocks comprised in the tool holder, and Figs. 8 and 9 are perspective views of a plurality of rest bars or base supports for tools to be interchange ably used in this particular tool holder.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the views.

In the drawings, A represents the slide rest of the usual form and having the capabilities for movements as common in lathes, the same having as an appurtenance thereto the upstanding post B which by an enlargement at its bottom has an adjustable engagement in a T-slot a in the slide rest.

The tool holder comprises lower and upper clamping blocks C and D having ver- Speccation of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 21, 1910. Serial No. 572,964.

Patented Dec. 27, 1910.

tical-apertures, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6,

through and upwardly beyond which the post B is passed.

4 The lower clamping block C has a pair of parallel, straight, upwardly opening channels cZ, c which open also endwise at the edges of the block, and which channels are of equal widths, but, as is to be clearly understood and perceived in Figs. 6 and 7 of varying depths. 'Ihe basesof the said channels d and c are similarly curved on arc lines of the same radius, as shown in Figs. L1 and 5. The lower clamping block C has at opposite portions thereof which are outwardly beyond and in a line with each other at right angles to the lengths of said channels, upwardly opening depressions, f f, the bases of which are curved to constitute rocking bearings or bottoming supports for the screw g which is carried by an extension L of the upper clamping block D. The lower clamping block may swivel for a full or any portion of a rotation about the post, as may also the upper clamping block in unison with the lower one, or the upper clamping block may be revolubly reversible so that it may be changed end for end relatively to the lower block, and so that its extension with the screw g carried thereby may have an engagement o-r bottoming in either of the depressions f, f, at the opposite sides of the said channels of the different depth. The said extension la. of the upper clamping plate has a vertical threaded hole i through which the shank of the screw g engages; and the said screw g has at its lower end a rounded formation for its rocking bearing in either of the aforesaid depressions f of the lower clamping block, while such screw has at its upper end a suitably enlarged head g2 whereby the screw may be vertically adjusted relatively to thel upper clamping 'plate so that the rocking bearing or fulcrum by which the clamping plate may be tilted to an oblique plane as represented in Fig. 3, according as'a tool in a holder is more or less inclined, may be nicely regulated.

The upper clamping plate (J as shown in Figs. 3 and 6, has, surrounding its vertical aperture for the post B, an upwardly pro-- jecting annular rib j, the external surface of which is curved on an arc of a circle generated from a point which is coincident with the aXis of the aperture for the post and which is below the top surface of such upper clamping pla-te, while the hole or aperture for the post below the base of the aforesaid curved annular rib is downwardly enlarged or widened so that the clamping plate may rock or tilt in sufficient extent without being obstructed by the post.

E represents a collar of comparatively slight height which surrounds the post above the upper clamping block, the same having' a depression or concavity in Vits under side for the rolling engagement therein of the aforesaid annular rib j; and Gr represents a locking nut which screw engages on the upper threaded extremity of the post and is operative by being more or less far screwed down, as occasion requires, to con fine the upper clamping block to irmly bind between the latter and the lower clamping` plate, the shank of any tool of any size and in a horizontal or any oblique adjustment.

For the tool post and for employment in conjunction with the lower clamping block having the channels of unequal depths, rest bars or base supports are provided such as represented by the reference letters m and a and particularly shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The rest bar m has its bottom downwardly bowed or of arc form corresponding to the curvature of the bases'of both of the channels Z and e, while it has a fiat top and the tool base support or rest bar a has a flat straight bottom and a V-groove u2 throughout the length of its upper edge.

Then a tool having a rectangular shank and of considerable height is to be confined in the tool post, the curved base member n may be placed in the channel d of the lower clamp block and the tool shank brought to rest thereon, while a portion of its thickness protrudes above the top of the lower block and may be clamped by the upper block D; or in case a cross sectional rectangular tool shank of considerably less height is to be held, the interchangeable member m. will be transferred into the channel e of the lesser depth so that the tool shank in resting on such member will still have its upper surface above the top of the lower clamping block; and, therefore, the shanks of cross sectional rectangular tools of different thicknesses may by the transferring of the member m be mounted so that their working points will be more or less nearly, or the same, height; and, of course, any variations in the height of the working end of the tool may be compensated for by the locking of the said curved base member so that the cutting end of the tool may be either slightly elevated or depressed. It may also be here stated that the widths of the rectangular tool shanks may be very slightly less than the widths ofthe channels, or they may be much less than the widths of such channels as the clamping action is obtained on,the upper and vlower surfaces of the tool shank.

Now in cases where tools the shanks of which are cross sectionally round are employed, the supplemental rest bar or base support a having straight bottom and V- shaped groove in its top, will be employed in conjunction with the curved bottom or rocker base mi, such members m and n be* ing together placed in either the deep or shallow channel c or CZ accordingly as the round tool shank to be held is of considerable or comparatively slight diameter; and the minute adjustments so that the working ends of the tools may be accomplished by the appropriate rocking of the member a. And it is to be understood while the upper and lower clamp blocks D and C bind the tool shank along parallel longitudinal lines, the rocking or rolling of the upper clamp member on the tool shank, especially if it is a round shank, is prevented by fulcruming the operating support which the upper clamp block acquires through the rounded end of the screw g in one or the other of the curved depressions f of the lower clamp block.

The provision of the tool holder having the structural features and capabilities of the one comprising this invention enables a mechanic to most readily and conveniently mount and accurately adjust many different tools the shanks of which are of vwidely varying shapes and dimensions, and, moreover, the tool holder may as effectively be used for carrying tools forboring or reaming' as for those for external turning.

I claim l. In a lathe tool holder, the combination with a slide rest having an upright post adjustably engaged therewith, of lower and upper clamping blocks having vertical apertures through which said post passes and whereby 'said blocks are swiveled on the post, the lower block having a pair of parallel, straight, upwardly opening channels, of equal widths but of varying depths, in portions thereof at opposite sides of the post,

and means screw engaging on the post and operative against the upperclamping block for confining. it in its engagement with a tool in either of said channels.

2. The combination with a slide rest having an upright post adjustably engaged therewith, of lower and upper clamping blocks having vertical apertures through which said post passes, the lower block having a pair of parallel, straight, upwardly opening channels, of equal widths but of varying depths, in portions thereof at opposite sides of the post, and having upwardly opening curved depressions in its top at opposite portions thereof which 'are outwardly beyond said channels, and the upper clamping block having an extension to overlie either of said curved depressions provided with a vertical threaded hole, and

a screw, engaged in said hole, having an operating head at its upper end, above the top of the upper clamping block, and having a rounded lower end for a rocking engagement in either of said curved depressions, and means, screw-engaging on the post and operative against the upper clamping block for confining it in its engagement with a tool in either of said channels.

3. The combination with a slide rest having an upright post, of lower and upper clamping blocks having vertical apertures through which said post passes, the lower block having a pair of parallel straight upwardly opening channels of equal widths but of varying depths, the bases of which are similarly curved on are lines, and having upwardly opening curved depressions at its top at opposite portions thereof which are outwardly beyond, and in a line at right angles to, the length of such channels, the upper clamping block being revolubly reversible relatively to the post and lower clamping block and having an extension to overlie either of said curved depressions, provided with a vertically threaded hole and having surrounding its vertical aperture for the post an upwardly projecting .annular rib, the external surface of which is curved on an arc of a circle generated from a point below the top of such clamping block, a screw engaged through the threaded hole in the clamping block extension having an operating head above the block and having a rounded lower end for a rocking engagement in either of said curved depressions, a tool base supporting bar having a curved base adapted to be removably and interchangeably engaged in either of said channels of the lower clamping block, a collar surrounding the post above the upper clamping bar having a depression for the engagement therein of the aforesaid annular rib, and means for screw-engaging on the post and operative against the upper clamping block for confining it in its engagement with the tool in either of said channels.

4. The combination with a slide rest having an upright post, of lower and upper clamping blocks having vertical apertures for said post, the upper block having at its top surrounding the post aperture an annular rib the surface of which is grooved on the are of a circle generated from a point below the top of such upper clamping block, and such block also having an extension to overlie said curved depression provided with a vertically threaded hole therethrough, a screw engaged through said hole having at its upper end above the top of the clamping block an operating head and having a rounded end for engagement in said curved depression, a collar surrounding the post above the upper clamping block and having a curved depression in its under side, and means screw engaging the upper extremity of the post and operating through said collar for confining the upper clamping block in its engagement with a tool in said channel.

5. A tool holder comprising a base clamping block and an upper clamping block and means for imparting a clamping bind thereto, the base block having two upwardly opening channels of varying depths made with curved bases, and a tool rest bar to be interchangeably engaged in either of said channels and having a curved bottom and a straight top.

Signed by me at Springfield, Mass., inl

presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK D. VAN NORMAN. Vitnesses:

WM. S. BELLows, G. R. DRIscoLL. 

